The Art and Anarchy of Burning Man


Every summer, tens of thousands of people gather in the Nevada desert for the weeklong exercise in radical self-reliance and self-expression known as Burning Man. The festival is now known for its amazing art, its inclusive community, and yes, a lot of weirdness and anarchy.

An Aerial View

When Burning Man is in full swing, it becomes the seventh-largest city in Nevada. Black Rock City (BRC), as the community is called, rises up on the dusty bed of an ancient lake, commonly called “the playa.”

Photo source: AKA Dillweed (cc)

9 readers liked this story.
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09.09.2010
Renae Hurlbutt
Love these pictures--the cone art is great! I didn't realize the final ceremony was a metaphor for resisting creative oppression from "the man." Deep. I can dig it. I'd like to go someday.
09.09.2010
Rebecca Brown
I have no desire - absolutely none - to go to burning man ever. EVER.
That shopping cart car is amazing! The only modification I'd add would be a sunshade – it looks hot as blazes out there!
09.09.2010
Nikki Deterding
O!M!G! This makes me want to go to Burning Man so bad. I think I would just be in awe the entire time. And also, I want to frame that picture of the truck sculpture. So awesome.
I've never understood the appeal of Burning Man (especially with the heat and the frequent dust storms), but these pictures sure make it look interesting.
It feels good to write.

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